Shepard of the Sky
by DoctorHyper826
Summary: Skylar Shepard had never had an easy life, but during a routine mission his whole world in knocked out of spin, and Skylar has to do everything he can to stay afloat. My take on the Mass Effect series. Colonist, Sole Survivor. Rubbish at summaries, so please feel free to take a look. Rated M for violence and abuse/torture in future chapters.
1. Prologue: Who said the start was dull?

**Shepard of the Sky **

_Who said the start was dull?_

Prologue

Mindoir, a small farming colony not to far out of the Alliance's reach in the Attican Traverse. Nothing unusual ever happened here, maybe an odd occurrence once in a blue moon perhaps, but quite simply and wonderfully normal. The Shepard's had first moved to the small farming community before their eldest children were born, shortly after their marriage in 2143. The Shepard's were just a tad older than most when they joined the league of parents, Eric being 43 and his wife Delilah being 40. To say they were overjoyed when they discovered Delilah was pregnant was an understatement, and all through out her pregnancy Delilah was, some would say, overcautious. She refused to do anything that could prevent healthy development including not doing much physical or manual labour and preferring to sit out on the porch rather than help her husband farm the land. Needless to say both Delilah and Eric were devastated when they heard about the freighter, filled with element zero that had exploded just above the small planet. Both parents were uncertain as to what they should do; little was known about the true effects of element zero exposure could have on an unborn child let alone two, apart from most children developing brain tumours and haemorrhages, from which they subsequently died from. The couple had been trying to have a child for a terribly long time and couldn't imagine losing both of the children Delilah was carrying.

However when Baby Boy and Baby Girl Shepard were born on 11th April 2154, Earth calendar, the two parents were thrilled when there was no immediate signs of harm or damage caused by the eezo exposure. Skylar, a name commonly reserved for girls was to be the boy's name and Astrid for the girl. Delilah had protested against naming their boy Skylar but Eric Shepard had persisted for reasons even he didn't know and eventually his wife gave in. Skylar Yuri Shepard and Astrid Luna Shepard were quite unfortunately named. Skylar and Astrid quickly became each others best friends, spending hours upon hours climbing the trees behind the family's farm, swimming and fishing in the nearby river, and most commonly getting into all sorts of trouble. The Shepard's farm was not big, and not very profitable, so whenever Skylar (who grew at an alarming rate), grew out of his clothes, Astrid would receive them. Not that the children complained, they were too busy having fun to worry about clothes, or the state of them, as on more than one occasion Delilah would be seen on the front porch sewing patches onto the children's trousers or onto the elbows of shirts. Not before long the two young children became fascinated with the sciences, Astrid more so, and soon both were enraptured by the night sky, dreaming of perhaps one day flying amongst them.

The children were smart, Skylar being just above average and Astrid excelling in most of her lessons. Even at such a young age Astrid had become familiarised with technology and could dismantle any interface and reassemble it, all the while seamlessly upgrading the software at only the tender age of ten. Skylar on the other hand was completely the opposite, he admired technology for its uses, not how it worked, and he felt most comfortable in the hands of books and tales, which had travelled across the stars from Earth. Everything seemed just fine for the Shepard's and it would remain so, for a few years at least.

It is unusual for a woman to have two sets of twins; however Delilah's family had a long history of twins and Delilah was no exception. 12 years after the birth of her first children, Delilah gave birth to another boy and girl. Skylar and Astrid took it upon themselves to name the babes and decided on some rather peculiar names. The girl was called Nova Bellatrix Shepard, and the boy Apollo Neil Shepard. The tradition of space faring names was definitely going to be upheld by the older set of twins. For a long time the Shepard's went about their everyday lives until the day the sky burned red.


	2. 1: Vanguards are ridiculously awesome

Chapter 1 - Vanguards are ridiculously awesome

Skylar Shepard stood to attention as his medal of honour was pinned to his military blues. A mere lieutenant and here he was already being commended with a prestigious award. Sky of course felt he deserved no such thing. All he did was abandon his entire squad to be mauled and killed by Thresher Maws. He'd taken cover and hit the maw with everything he had, biotics, bullets and even his busted shotgun. Sky had sat there and watched as his team, a platoon of marines, expertly trained and brilliant at what they did get torn apart by that unholy creature. Back at the ceremony Shepard saluted to Admiral Hackett who commanded the fifth fleet and in turn Skylar himself. After the brief ceremony Hackett approached Shepard and commended him for his actions.

"Not many soldiers would have done what you did Shepard. You stayed behind and tried to save your squad rather than abandon your men. It is for this reason you're being promoted to Staff Commander. Congratulations"

"Thank you Sir, I... I had no idea I'd get promoted for this, Sir."

"Well we can't have a N7 biotic recruit at the rank of Lieutenant. You'd put all your superiors to shame."

"Did you say N7 recruit Sir?"

"Use the training wisely. Only the best get onto the N7 programme and Captain Riker has taken a particular interest in you. The Alliance doesn't have many biotics and we're going to need them if we ever face another galactic war. We need to stand up to the Turians and the Asari and show how our biotics are just as talented as they are."

Skylar was stunned. He had no idea he was even being considered to join the programme, let alone have an offer. A promotion and becoming an N7 recruit all in one day. Shepard thought about how he should celebrate this.

"Thank you sir, I will not waste this opportunity, I can assure you that."

"You report to Captain Riker in three days time, until then, consider this shore leave, dismissed, Commander ."

Shepard saluted his superior and walked away in search of someone. He had to tell Anderson, the man was practically a father to him, and had been ever since they met all those years ago on Mindoir. Of course Anderson would have already heard the news, but Skylar had no one else to share it with. He had few people he would call friends, and no family to speak of. Shepard has trust issues, and preferred not to reveal too much about himself to perfect strangers. He wasn't looking for long when he spotted Anderson talking to a lovely blonde women. Skylar figured she was attractive, nothing abnormal about her. Skylar had no experience when it came to women. He'd only ever been with men, not on dates of course, Sky was too untrusting for that, but "encounters" where it wasn't entirely what Sky wanted to do.

"Aaah Shepard, there you are. Come over here. This is Kahlee Sanders, a good friend of mine. "

"It's a pleasure to meet you Shepard; I've heard a lot of good things about you."

"The pleasure is all mine Miss Sanders, might I say you look lovely this evening." Just because Shepard didn't like women, doesn't mean he couldn't make them melt like butter. "I was just going to bring some personal news to the Major."

"How many times must I tell you to stop being so goddamn formal? Anyway what's this news?"

"Hackett has promoted me to the position of Staff Commander. He also told me that Captain Riker has extended me an offer to join the N7 programme."

"Son that's excellent news. You'll be a fantastic Commander and an even better N7 recruit. Captain Riker is a good man. A little soft, but don't piss him off, you'll regret you ever did."

"I worked with Riker once, he was only a Major back then, but he was incredible. A tough soldier, by-the-book. It's a shame, I haven't seen him for many years" Kahlee remarked, smiling sadly as she did so.

"Now Kahlee, don't make Anderson jealous." quipped Skylar. "I'd best let you enjoy your evening, I've got some celebrating to do myself." Skylar saluted Sanders and clapped hands with Anderson. Shepard did the usual dignitaries run, making small talk, laughing at appalling jokes. None of this interested him in the slightest, but if he wanted to get far in the Alliance this is what he needed to perfect.

The next three days passed with little consequence, mainly Skylar stayed in his tiny apartment on Earth, reading and drinking whisky mostly. Skylar had read "The Hounds of the Baskervilles" at least a dozen times, however he never could put down a good book. He admired the relationship between Holmes and Watson, and perhaps hoping he'd share something similar with someone, anyone. However Skylar knew he'd never find someone he'd allow himself to get too close to. Everyone he cared about either died or betrayed him. That night Skylar revisited the dreams which plagued him so often since his youth. Fire towering into the sky, screams ringing through the air. He's running, running the fastest he's ever run. Clinging onto to Astrid as they run in no clear direction, just away. Away from the gun shots, away from the space ships which descended from nowhere. Suddenly his parents, Apollo and Nova are standing in front of him. Skylar watches as the bullets tear through their heads, shattering their bodies into fragments of glass, which cuts through his skin. Skylar shields his eyes with his arms and when he removes them he's in a bed. Not his bed, no, definitely not his bed. His bed doesn't have chains on the head board or blood all over the sheets. He's there. Lockie, looming over Sky, bearing down on him. As Lockie ties Skylar to the head board and gags him, smiling mischievously, Skylar cries out.

Waking up abruptly Sky finds himself entangled in his bed sheets, the thin fabric twisted around his wrists. Showering calms his nerves, but Skylar knows the terror and fear from that nightmare would never truly leave him, as he carries those memories with him wherever he goes, no matter how much he buries them or how much counselling he has. Although Shepard feels like whatever he eats will refuse to remain inside of him, being a biotic however demands he eat, there is no way he'd make it through the day without a high calorie breakfast. It's good the only thing Sky can really cook is pancakes. In no time at all Skylar is standing in line with the other N7 recruits.


End file.
